The Palestinian unity government may be declared sooner than expected, said Hamas spokesperson Ismael Radwan on Monday.He added that the movement (Hamas) is considering keeping some of the current ministers in the new government. However, he failed to provide names as they are still being discussed.
Radwan, however, said that the PFLP (the third largest Palestinian faction) demanded an extra portfolio as a condition to join the unity government, but Hamas rejected their demand. Meanwhile, the Islamic Jihad declared that they will not participate in the government either way.
Radwan also said he is ‘not expecting much’ from the trilateral meeting that will join the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas with the Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and the US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice on Monday.
“Hamas does not expect any good to come of the trilateral meeting, especially since the US administration is known of its complete bias towards Israel,” Radwan said, adding that this meeting will not fulfill the demands of the Palestinian people.
The Palestinian people reiterate their demand to that the embargo imposed on them, which has caused a very serious financial crisis, be lifted. However, the United States and Israel, who coordinated a stance regarding the latest Palestinian unity agreement, insist that the new government should meet the demands of the Quartet.
The Quartet demands that the Palestinian government recognize Israel, renounce violence and respect previously singed agreements.
